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Killian Bell - page 182

Boomgate? Let’s hope Apple didn’t copy Samsung’s hottest feature

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iPhone-7-explosion
Is any smartphone safe anymore?
Photo: Kroopthesnoop/Reddit

I often encourage Apple to steal certain features from Samsung’s smartphones, like its super-sharp Quad HD displays and wireless charging. One thing I didn’t want it to rip off is the Galaxy Note 7’s tendency to explode.

According to one unlucky Reddit user, whose brand new iPhone 7 is now a charred piece of aluminum and shattered glass, that’s exactly what just happened.

AOL’s new Alto Dashboard makes your email easier to manage

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Alto Dashboard in action on iOS.
Photo: AOL

Don’t you just hate getting bombarded with emails? Our inboxes can be filled with junk every day, and half the time, you might not know what’s spam and what’s worth reading. Now there’s a new tool from AOL called Alto Dashboard that can help.

Alto Dashboard, which is integrated into the do-it-all Alto mail client, intelligently scans, analyzes, and restructures your emails to present you with the most valuable content right away. It then makes that content actionable so you can deal with email faster.

iPhone 7 won’t play nicely with Android Wear watches

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Android Wear fans should avoid iPhone 7 for now.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you decided to pick up an Android Wear device instead of Apple Watch, you may have trouble using it with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Those who have upgraded to one of Apple’s latest smartphones have found they just don’t play nicely with Google’s wearable platform, despite the fact that their predecessors have no trouble connecting after being upgraded to the same iOS 10 software.

iOS 10 has already overtaken iOS 9 in adoption

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iPhone 7
Users can't wait to get their hands on iOS 10.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 10 now has a larger install base than iOS 9, just over two weeks after making its public debut. Apple’s latest software has now reached 48.16 percent of all devices, while iOS 9’s share has dropped to 47.79 percent.

Google app gets incognito mode, YouTube playback in seach

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Google app incognito mode
Incognito mode inside the Google app.
Photo: Google

Google today rolled out a big update for its official iOS app, adding the ability to activate incognito mode, support for YouTube playback within search results, and more. The release makes the Google app “more private, video-friendly and stable,” the company says.

iPhone 7 camera loses to Samsung in expert tests

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iPhone 7 back
iPhone 7's new iSight camera is better, but not the best.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iSight camera packed into iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is Apple’s best yet, according to tests carried out by the experts at DxOMark. It has been improved by a wider aperture, support for a wide color gamut, and faster autofocus.

But it’s not quite enough to beat the cameras found in Samsung’s latest Galaxy smartphones.

YouTube Go will finally let you take videos offline

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YouTube Go app
YouTube Go in action.
Photo: Google

Google is launching a new YouTube Go app that will finally allow users to download videos for offline playback. You’ll be able to choose the quality of the video you save, and the app will tell you exactly how much storage space is required for each clip.

Google plans MacBook rival with new ‘Andromeda’ OS

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Chromebook Pixel
Google's next Pixel could be much more exciting.
Photo: Google

Google is expected to announce to new Pixel phones that will step up Android’s fight against the iPhone next month — and its assault on Apple won’t stop there.

According to a new report, the company is also planning a Pixel laptop powered by a new “Andromeda” operating system that will do battle with the MacBook. It could also steal some of its features, including the pressure-sensitive trackpad.

Foxconn doubles its iPhone repair capacity

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Cult of Mac's buyback program pays good money for your gear, even broken ones.
Foxconn gets approval for another iPhone repair site.
Photo: Warren R.M. Stuart/Flickr CC

The next time you take your broken iPhone to the Genius Bar, the repair could be carried out in China. Foxconn, one of Apple’s biggest manufacturing partners, was just granted approval to perform iPhone repairs at a second facility in Shanxi.

Is Siri still steps behind Google’s virtual assistants? [Friday Night Fights]

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Which virtual assistant gets your vote?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has taken big strides to make Siri even greater in recent years, like bringing it to Apple TV and macOS, and opening it up to third-party developers. In that time, Apple’s virtual assistant has also gotten more accurate and more reliable.

Friday Night Fights bug But some might say third-party alternatives — particularly those from Google — are still a step ahead, with greater features and more flexibility. So, is Apple doing enough to make Siri just as stellar as Google Now and the new Google Assistant?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we go head-to-head over virtual assistants.

iPhone 7 owners report poor sound quality during phone calls

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iPhone-7
How's the call quality on your iPhone 7?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Yes, lots of people still use their smartphone to make calls, and some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners are having a bad experience doing just that. Many report poor sound quality on both devices during calls, and it’s not yet clear if software or hardware is to blame.

WhatsApp plans to beef up security with passcode lock

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WhatsApp
WhatsApp could soon become even more secure.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

After protecting your private conversations with end-to-end encryption, it seems WhatsApp wants to give you even greater peace of mind by adding passcode protection to its app.

The feature was uncovered by a team of translators which helps convert WhatsApp into other languages.

Google Allo lands on Android and iOS, and it’s logging everything you type

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Google Allo
Google Allo on Android and iOS.
Photo: Google

Allo, the exciting new messaging platform from Google, landed on Android and iOS today — but you might want to think twice before you rush to download it. Every conversation you have with Allo will be logged by Google (unless you remember to go incognito).

Apple may be about to buy a world-famous supercar maker

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The new McLaren P1. Will it be owned by Apple?
Photo: McLaren

Apple is said to be in talks with British supercar manufacturer McLaren over a possible takeover. It’s thought Cupertino chiefs approached the firm, which is renowned for its Formula One racing team, several months ago and discussions are still ongoing.

iPhone 7 has already been jailbroken

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iPhone 7 jailbreak Cydia
A sight Apple won't be pleased to see.
Photo: Luca Tedesco

The iPhone 7 has been on sale for less than a week and hackers have already been able to jailbreak it. Photos posted on Twitter show Cydia, the home of jailbreak apps and tweaks, installed on a device running iOS 10.0.1.

Download macOS Sierra now for ultimate Mac upgrade

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Get it while it's hot!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple today released its big macOS 10.12 Sierra update, bringing Apple Pay for the web, Siri integration, an improved Messages app, and lots more. All compatible machines can now download the release from the Mac App Store.

Google’s upcoming Pixel phones look like iPhone clones

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Google Pixel phones
Really, Google?!
Photo: Android Police

Google is planning to replace its beloved Nexus smartphones with new devices that will fall into the Pixel brand. They’ll get their official unveiling on October 4, but new photos that have leaked out early suggest they look just like iPhone clones.

iPhone 7 review: Old body, spectacular new soul

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iPhone-7
Don't be fooled by the iPhone 7's familiar design.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Fans weren’t expecting much from this year’s iPhone upgrade. We wanted something big — something that could reverse falling demand for Apple’s biggest product lineup — but we feared we weren’t going to get it.

What we got was the iPhone 7. It looks just like iPhone 6s (and iPhone 6), but Apple promises it’s a different beast. It’s faster, more exciting, and more capable than its predecessors — and it comes in new colors.

I’ve been using iPhone 7 since it went on sale last week, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my experience so far. It’s definitely not the massive disappointment some people anticipated, but is it worth the upgrade if you already have a recent model? Read Cult of Mac’s iPhone 7 review to find out.

iPhone 7 first impressions: The smartphone you love, only better

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iPhone 7 back
iPhone 7 has landed.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

At first glance, the iPhone 7 looks just like the iPhone 6s … and the iPhone 6. It feels the same in your hand, too. Unless you buy the jet black model, or you’re upgrading from a 4-inch iPhone, you’re not going to get any surprises when you pull this baby out of its box.

But there are some subtle changes you’ll appreciate. This is the iPhone you already know and love — only much, much better.

Galaxy Note 7 review: The best smartphone money can’t buy

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Galaxy Note 7
Don't let a few explosions put you off.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Forget what you’ve read about the Galaxy Note 7 exploding (and wiping out family cars, hotel rooms and homes). Samsung’s latest phablet delivers an improved design, faster internals, an iris scanner, the same great camera we got with the Galaxy S7 and an even better display.

When this baby goes on sale again, without that dreaded battery fault, it will be the best smartphone available — and the iPhone 7 (probably) won’t change a thing.

AirPods review roundup: A nice idea with room for improvement

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AirPods are nice, but they're far from perfect.
Photo: Apple

We’ll have to wait until October to get our hands on Apple’s new wireless AirPods, but select reviewers have been granted early access to help us decide whether they’re worth their $159 price tag.

Here’s a roundup of the best reviews we’ve read so far.

Why a ceramic iPhone 8 might be the ultimate iPhone

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Apple Watch Edition
iPhone 8 could look this good.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s switch to ceramic for Apple Watch Edition could mean big things for iPhone 8. Being four times harder than stainless steel and a darn sight prettier, ceramic would be an ideal material for the next generation of iPhone unibodies.

Recent rumors have promised Apple will deliver a major redesign next year to celebrate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, and what better way to do that than with a new material that’s better than anything Apple’s used before?

How to get ready for an iOS 10 upgrade the right way

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iOS 10
iOS 10 is coming. Are you ready?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 10 will finally roll out to all compatible devices on Tuesday, September 13, bringing awesome new features to Messages, revamped Music and Apple News apps, a redesigned lock screen interface, and more.

Before you upgrade your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, there are some steps you should take to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here’s how to prepare for an iOS 10 upgrade the right way.